Fabrication of BaZr0.80Y0.20O3-delta Sputtering Target for Thin-Film Proton Conducting Oxides

A systematic work was carried out to fabricate a phase-pure sputter target for thin film deposition of BaZr0.80Y0.20O3 - delta. The current study mainly involves two parts; i.e. determination of the ideal parameters for phase-pure BaZr0.80Y0.20O3 - delta synthesis, and the production of sputter target with a 2-inch diameter using deformable compaction die. For the synthesis, the effect of chelating and polymerization agents on the Pechini synthesis of BaZr0.80Y0.20O3 - delta was investigated in detail. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and citric acid as chelating agents were employed with different fractions, while ethylene glycol was preferred as a polymerization agent. The effect of calcination temperature ranging between 1000 and 1200 degrees C was also investigated so as to eliminate the secondary phase formation. Subsequent to powder synthesis, the BaZr0.80Y0.20O3 - delta sputter target having over 90% of its theoretical density was produced following powder pressing using deformable compaction die up to 150 MPa and sintering at 1500 degrees C for 10 hours. BaZr0.80Y0.20O3 - delta sputter target produced was then tested for a thin film deposition in a magnetron sputtering system for 12 h. Investigations carried out on the thin films deposited revealed that fully dense and highly textured crystalline BaZr0.80Y0.20O3 - delta films could be deposited with the target produced in the study.